Previous
Chapter 62
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Lonesome Dove, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
American Mythology
Family
Luck, Fate, and Chance
The Good Life
The Meaning of Masculinity
Feminine Strength
Summary
Analysis
On the north bank, Call and the others catch Augustus up on what’s happened since they parted. Every so often, Lorena peeps through the tent flap to make sure she can still see Gus, whose presence is the only thing that makes her feel safe after all she endured since her kidnapping. After dinner, Gus and Call ride a little way off to talk privately. Only half joking, Augustus tells Call he should sell the cattle, pay off the hands, and take Pea Eye and Deets west into Colorado to find and kill Blue Duck. Augustus could take Newt with him to Ogallala—he still wants to see Clara—and teach him to be a ladies’ man. But Call remains intent on reaching Montana and establishing a ranch. Gus replies that he has no intention of settling down; maybe after they get to Montana, he’ll strike out for China.
The crew has made it—mostly intact—out of Texas, which provides a natural opportunity to take stock of their plan. But Call refuses to deviate even an inch from his initial plan—even the prospect of chasing down and defeating a foe like Blue Duck isn’t enough to dissuade him. On the other hand, while Gus remains committed to his plan to visit Clara, he considers Gus’s mission foolish. Call needs a greater challenge than running a ranch to be happy, or he’d have stayed in Lonesome Dove. He will struggle to find meaning in life—especially if he continues to turn his back on relationships.
Themes
